Wednesday, 2 January 2019

Dark Deeds and a Tragic Queen

Scotland
has a rich heritage of history as well as spectacular scenery. It seems you
cannot go more than a few miles in any direction before meeting up with
evidence of some pretty colourful characters and many dark and sinister deeds.

Scattered
around the rugged countryside, is a wealth of haunted castles, whose walls have
seen much violence and bloodshed, but few can lay claim to quite as much
bloodiness as the Hermitage, situated in the remote Liddlesdale Valley around six miles from Scotland’s border with
England.

More
of a fortress than a palace, its forbidding presence still rises today out of
the boggy landscape, its strategic importance vital in the centuries of border
conflicts and it legacy, in addition to the violence and battle, includes tales
of black magic and sorcery, betrayal and revenge.

Originally
built by the Lords Soulis, the first structure was erected in the thirteenth
century although little of that remains now. In 1360, the earth and timber structure
began to be replaced by a more formidable stone edifice. Hugh Dacre was responsible
for the work, starting with the central stone tower and, even today, it is
possible to see the cobbled courtyard and spiral stairs which led to the laird’s
upper quarters. A further three towers were built and the whole place became a
stronghold, heavily fortified although with some fine accommodation.

Being
so close to the border, over the centuries there were gains and losses on both
sides and, from time to time the castle fell into English hands. Sometimes the
exchange of ownership was aided and abetted by the laird of the day, accepting
money from the English in return for possession of his castle. From the Soulis lords, it passed to the Dacres,
the Douglases, then onto the Hepburns (the family of the infamous Earl of
Bothwell who married Mary Queen of Scots after almost certainly murdering her
husband, Lord Darnley). Latterly it passed to the Dukes of Buccleugh and the
Scotts before coming into public ownership in 1930.

As
for the sorcery and black magic, there are a number of legends. In the
thirteenth century one of the lords Soulis – possibly Ranulf or Sir Nicholas.
He had made a pact with the devil and engaged in dark acts of sorcery and
magic. The devil appeared to him in the form of Robin Redcap and kept him from
harm so that no weapons or attempts to hang him could succeed. Rumours quickly
spread that, in order to pay back his debt to the devil, de Soulis was
capturing and sacrificing local children.

Frightened
for their children’s lives the villagers sought the aid of famed prophet and
poet Thomas the Rhymer and asked what they should do to kill a man who was
incapable of being harmed by weapons or the hangman’s rope. The advice he gave,
they followed. According to legend, the villagers captured de Soulis and dragged
him off to Ninestane Rig, a nearby ancient stone circle. They then tipped him into
a vat of boiling oil.

Justice
had been served – or not actually. It all makes for a great legend but, in
fact, de Soulis was murdered by his servants before the family moved to the
Hermitage. Another version states that he was imprisoned at Dumbarton Castle
where he died.

Whichever
version you subscribe to, Lord de Soulis has been heard and seen returning to
the vaults where he performed his sacrifices and various devilish rituals. He
visits every seven years and his terrifying visage, along with the tortured
screams of his victims, has been reported many times.

The
wicked and vile Lord de Soulis has another claim to fame. A frighteningly huge
knight called the Cout of Keilder rode up in full armour one day, bent on
killing the evil lord. His suit of armour held magical powers so that he too
could not be harmed by weaponry. Lord de Soulis is supposed to have drowned him
in Hermitage Water – although another version of the tale states that the Cout
was also an evil soul who terrorized the castle’s inhabitants until he was
drowned.

Later
in the castle’s history comes the sinister tale of owner of the Hermitage, Sir
William Douglas who was furious when he learned that Sir Alexander Ramsay of
Dalhousie had been made Sheriff when he firmly believed that honour should have
gone to him. He ambushed Ramsey and carted him back to Hermitage Castle where
he kept him prisoner until the poor man starved to death. When his corpse was
finally found it was clear that he had gnawed his fingers to the bone. Sir
Alexander Ramsay is reported to haunt the castle to this day and his cries have
been heard, screaming from the walls.

The
castle’s royal connection is with the aforementioned and tragic Mary Queen of
Scots who would visit Bothwell at the castle. On one such trip, she fell from
her horse into a bog, contracted a serious fever and almost died. The castle
has its own White Lady apparition and this is said to be that of Mary. Given
all the places she is alleged to haunt, Mary Queen of Scots’ ghost leads a much
travelled hectic afterlife. As for the evil scheming Bothwell - having killed
her husband, married her and then abandoned her to her fate, he died insane in
a filthy Danish jail;

With
so much going on, it is hardly surprising that Hermitage Castle has attracted
the attention of some distinguished ghost hunters over the years. Famed Victorian
journalist W.T. Stead visited there when he was a young man and reported being
terrified by screeches from overhead, followed by the trampling of what sounded
to him like ‘a multitude of iron-shod feet’. A heavy door swung on rusty hinges
and the whole place took on a chilling, menacing air. He was greatly relieved
to escape the place as he felt at any moment, he might encounter the devil himself.

When
Mary Queen of Scots’ son James VI of Scotland also became James I of England, border
skirmishes ceased and the need for such a fortification ended. The castle
quickly fell into neglect and ruin and would not have survived today were it
not for the efforts of Sir Walter Scott (whose family owned it for a time), the
5th Duke of Buccleuch (a subsequent owner) and now Historic
Scotland. You can visit it – but be warned, the spirits are still there…

There are ghosts aplenty in Henderson Close – and a devil or two. Here’s
what to expect from The Haunting of
Henderson Close:

Ghosts have always walked there. Now
they’re not alone…

In the depths of Edinburgh, an evil presence is released. Hannah and her
colleagues are tour guides who lead their visitors along the spooky, derelict
Henderson Close, thrilling them with tales of spectres and murder. For Hannah
it is her dream job, but not for long. Who is the mysterious figure that
disappears around a corner? What is happening in the old print shop? And who is
the little girl with no face? The legends of Henderson Close are becoming all
too real.